Calculate the volume of common 3D shapes including rectangular prisms, cubes, cylinders, spheres, cones, and triangular prisms. Get results in cubic units, liters, and US gallons.
Calculate Volume
How to Calculate Volume
Volume measures three-dimensional space. The formula depends on the shape being measured.
Rectangular Prism
Cube
Cylinder
Sphere
Cone
Triangular Prism
Volume Conversion Reference
| Unit | Equivalent |
|---|---|
| 1 cubic foot | 28.3168 liters |
| 1 cubic meter | 1,000 liters |
| 1 US gallon | 3.78541 liters |
| 1 cubic foot | 7.48052 US gallons |
| 1 cubic meter | 264.172 US gallons |
What Is Volume?
Volume is the amount of space occupied by a three-dimensional object. Common volume units include cubic inches, cubic feet, cubic meters, liters, and gallons.
Builders, engineers, manufacturers, homeowners, and students use volume calculations for materials, containers, rooms, tanks, concrete, water, storage, and many other applications.
Volume vs. Area
Area measures a two-dimensional surface. Volume measures three-dimensional space.
For example, a floor might have an area of 500 square feet, while the room above it has a volume measured in cubic feet. Adding a third dimension, such as height, changes an area measurement into a volume measurement.
Frequently Asked Questions
The formula depends on the shape. For a rectangular prism, volume equals length multiplied by width multiplied by height.
Multiply the box length by its width and height. Keep all three measurements in the same unit before calculating.
For a rectangular space measured in feet, multiply length by width by height. The result is cubic feet.
One cubic meter equals 1,000 liters.
One cubic foot equals approximately 28.3168 liters.
Volume describes the amount of three-dimensional space. Capacity usually describes how much material, liquid, or another substance a container holds. The two terms are closely related but used differently depending on context.